Clinical Director of Beaumont Hospital Prof Shane O'Neill, has resigned over concerns for the safety of psychiatric patients at the hospital's emergency department.

A report in the Sunday Business Post revealed that Prof O'Neill resigned from his director post on Friday claiming significant clinical risk to patients.

The move comes shortly before the opening of a new psychiatric unit at the hospital which will serve all of North Dublin.

Dr O'Neill's concerns are reported to relate to plans to continue to admit some seriously mentally ill patients to the new unit through Beaumont's emergency department, which he pointed out was frequently overcrowded.

Beaumont Hospital said proposals have been made to have out-of-hours and weekend assessments for the new psychiatric unit carried out at the Beaumont ED.

"The finalisation of these proposals is under active discussion between the HSE and Beaumont with a view to finding a solution which is in the best interests of patients".

Dr O'Neill's concerns relate to serious cases such as where patients might be suicidal.

The new unit, which will serve all of north Dublin, will open at Beaumont this week.